SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS 
VOLUME 80,:NUMBER 10 ! 


~ DRAWINGS BY JOHN WEBBER OF 


NATIVES OF THE NORTHWEST 
COAST OF AMERICA, 1778 


(WiTH 12 PLATEs) 


BY 
DAVID I. BUSHNELL, Jr. 


(PUBLICATION 2961) 


CITY OF WASHINGTON 
PUBLISHED BY THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 
MARCH 24, 1928 | 
| 
| 


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SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS 


VOLUME 80, NUMBER 10 


DRAWINGS BY JOHN WEBBER OF 
NATIVES OF THE NORTHWEST 
COAST OF AMERICA, 1778 


(WiTH 12 PLATEs) 


BY 
DAVID I. BUSHNELL, Jr. 


(PUBLICATION 2961) 


CITY OF WASHINGTON 
PUBLISHED BY THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 
MARCH 24, 1928 


ae 


The Lord Baltimore Dress 


BALTIMORE, MD., U.S. A, 


DEAWINGS BY JOHN WEBBER OF NATIVES OF THE 
NORTHWEST COAST OF AMERICA, 1778 


BYDAVID |. BUSHNELL TR: 
(WITH 12 PLATES) 


The third and last expedition commanded by Captain James Cook 
was one of the most remarkable voyages of discovery in the history 
of the world. 

Early in the year 1776 the two ships—the Resolution and the Dis- 
covery—were, as Captain Cook wrote: “in the dock at Deptford, 
under the hands of shipwrights ; being ordered to be equipped to make 
farther discoveries in the Pacific Ocean, under my direction.” Every- 
thing was supplied and furnished that was believed essential or that 
would, in any way, aid in the fulfillment of the great undertaking. 
When all was ready they sailed from England about the middle of 
July, 1776. Captain Cook was on the Resolution which carried a 
crew, officers and men, of 112. The Discovery, a sloop of 300 tons, 
had 80 men on board and was commanded by Captain Charles Clerke. 
After many eventful experiences the two ships returned safely and 
arrived at the Nore, October 4, 1780. 

Very extensive and valuable collections of ethnographical material 
were made during the voyage, and many of the objects are now to 
be seen in the various European museums. Thirty-four specimens 
are in the Anthropological Museum, Florence, Italy. Twenty-three of 
these were secured at Nootka and include garments, ornaments, 
weapons, and ceremonial pieces. The remaining 11 examples were 
gathered at Prince William Sound, Oonalashka, and Norton Sound. 
All were described, and many figured, by Giglioli in 1895. 

Doctor Anderson, surgeon on the Resolution, who had attended 
Captain Cook on a previous voyage, probably collected many speci- 
mens ; he likewise made several vocabularies, one being of the natives 
of Nootka. After a lingering illness Anderson died August 3, 1778. 
His death proved a great loss to the expedition. 

To quote again from Captain Cook’s own narrative: “And, that 
we might go out with every help that could serve to make the result 
of our voyage entertaining to the generality of readers, as well as 
instructive to the sailor and scholar, Mr. Webber was pitched upon, 


SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS, VOL. 80, No. 10 


SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VoL. 80 


to 


and engaged to embark with me, for the express purpose of supplying 
the unavoidable imperfections of written accounts, by enabling us to 
preserve, and to bring home, such drawings of the most memorable 
scenes of our transactions, as could only be executed by a professed 
and skillful artist.’”’ This tends to prove with what great interest the 
drawings were accepted, how very important they were considered, 
and how skillfully and accurately they must have been prepared. 

John Webber, to whom the preceding notes refer, was born in Lon- 
don in 1752. His father was a Swiss sculptor whose name, Weber. 
became Anglicized to the form used by the son. When quite young 
John Webber was sent to Paris where he studied under J. G. Wille. 
He also went to Berne, Switzerland, and there became a student under 
J. L. Aberli. After an absence of about five years he returned to be 
with his family in London. He then became a student of the Royal 
Academy, and the next year, 1776, through the influence of Doctor 
Solander, was appointed draftsman to accompany Captain Cook on 
his last voyage. The expedition returned in 1780, and Webber then 
superintended the engraving of the collection of drawings and sketches 
which he had made for the Admiralty. The majority of his original 
sketches were quite large and it became necessary for him to make 
replicas, reduced to the proper size for the engravers. These were 
“engraved by the most eminent Artists” and appeared in 1784 to 
illustrate the narrative of the expedition, entitled: A Voyage to the 
Pacific Ocean, undertaken by the Command of His Majesty, for mak- 
ing Discoveries in the Northern Hemisphere... . . Published by 
Order of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. It was issued 
in three volumes, the first two having been prepared by Captain James 
Cook, the third by Captain James King. Having completed his work 
for the Admiralty, Webber prepared a series of the more important 
and interesting views, etched and colored, which he published pri- 
vately.. During the years 1784, 1785, and 1786 he exhibited pictures 
made on the voyage. He was elected A. R. A., 1785, and R. A., 1791. 
He died at his home in London, May 29, 1793. 

The twelve drawings reproduced at this time are believed to have 
belonged to the Admiralty. Later they were owned by Sir William 
Campbell who was Governor of New Brunswick, 1831-1835, from 
whom they passed to his descendants. Five of the original sketches 
are reproduced for the first time; others were greatly changed by the 
engravers when first published. The 12 drawings are now in the 
private collection of the author. 


NO. TO DRAWINGS BY JOHN WEBBER 


BUSHNELL 3 


NOOTKA. MARCH—APRIL, 1778 


The expedition reached the Northwest Coast of America late in_ 
March, 1778, and found safe anchorage in an inlet which was named 
King George’s Sound. Intercourse with the natives later revealed the 
name by which it was known to the inhabitants of the villages which 
stood on its shores and since that day the native name, Nootka, has 
been applied to the sound. It is about midway on the west coast of 
Vancouver Island. Captain Cook then wrote: “Were I to affix a 
name to the people of Nootka, as a distinct nation, I would call them 
Wakashians; from the word wakash, which was very frequently in 
their mouths. It seemed to express applause, approbation, and friend- 
ship.’ The name Wakashan is now applied to the linguistic group 
to which the Nootka belong. 

During the spring of 1778 there were two native villages on the 
shores of Nootka Sound. One, and evidently the more important, 
stood near the entrance of the sound, on the northwest shore, “on 
the side of a rising ground, which has a pretty steep ascent from the 
beach to the verge of the wood, in which space it is situated.” The 
second village was far distant from the first, in the northeastern part 
of the sound. Between the two was the site of another, with many 
houses in ruins but none occupied. The total population of the two 
occupied villages was estimated at approximately 2,000. 

Describing the village near the entrance Captain Cook wrote: “ The 
houses are disposed in three ranges or rows, rising gradually behind 
each other ; the largest being that in front, and the others less ; besides 
a few strageling, or single ones, at each end. These ranges are 
interrupted or disjoined at irregular distances, by narrow paths, or 
lanes, that pass upward; but those which run in the direction of the 
houses, between the rows, are much broader. Though there be some 
appearance of regularity in this disposition, there is none in the single 
houses; for each of the divisions, made by the paths, may be con- 
sidered either as one house, or as many; there being no regular or 
complete separation, either without or within, to distinguish them by. 
They are built of very long and broad planks, resting upon the edges 
of each other, fastened or tied by withes of pine bark, here and there ; 
and have only slender posts, or rather poles, at considerable distances, 
on the outside, to which they also are tied ; but within are some larger 
poles placed aslant.” Such was the construction of the native habita- 


4 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VoL. 80 


tions. Only slight evidence of divisions within indicated the part 
occupied by different families. Large chests served to hold “ their 
spare garments, skins, masks, and other things which they set a value 
upon;” their various utensils, “‘ mostly square and oblong pails or 
buckets to hold water and other things; round wooden cups and 
bowls ; and small shallow wooden troughs, about two feet long, out of 
which they eat their food; and baskets of twigs, bags of matting, etc. 
Their fishing implements, and other things also, lie or hang up in 
different parts of the house, but without the least order; so that the 
whole is a complete scene of confusion; and the only places that do 
not partake of this confusion are the sleeping-benches, that have 
nothing on them but the mats; which are also cleaner, or of a finer 
sort, than those they commonly have to sit on in their boats.” 

‘The interiors of the native houses evidently proved of great interest. 
Captain Cook referred twice to drawings of interiors having been 
made by Webber. Fortunately, both of the original pictures are in this 
collection and are reproduced. The first was made April 22, 1778. On 
that day Cook visited the village at the entrance of the sound and 
wrote: “ During the time I was at this village Mr. Webber, who had 
attended me thither, made drawings of everything that was curious, 
both within and without doors.” The sketch reproduced in plate 2 
is believed to have been made at that time. Much interesting detail is 
shown, including “ the construction of the houses, household furniture 
and utensils, and striking peculiarities of the customs and modes of 
living of the inhabitants.” 

After mentioning the condition of the interiors Captain Cook wrote, 
that, notwithstanding the confusion, many of the houses “‘ are deco- 
rated with images. These are nothing more than the trunks of very 
large trees, four or five feet high, set up singly, or by pairs, at the 
upper end of the apartment, with the front carved into a human face; 
the arms and hands cut out upon the sides, and variously painted ; so 
that the whole is a truly monstrous figure. The general name of these 
images is K/umma; and the names of two particular ones, which stood 
abreast each other, three or four feet asunder, in one of the houses, 
were Natchkoa and Matseeta. Mr. Webber’s view of the inside of a 
Nootka house, in which these images were represented, will convey 
a more perfect idea of them than any description.” The original view 
or sketch to which Captain Cook referred is reproduced in plate 3. 

The natives were described as being rather short but not slender. 
“The women are nearly of the same size, color, and form, with the 
men ; from whom it is not easy to distinguish them.”” Men and women 


BO. «LO DRAWINGS BY JOHN WEBBER—BUSHNELL 5 


wore similar garments, the principal of which was “a flaxen garment, 
or mantle, ornamented on the upper edge by a narrow strip of fur, 
and, at the lower edge, by fringes or tassels.” It passed under the 
left arm and was fastened over the right shoulder. “ Over this, which 
reaches below the knees, is worn a small cloak of the same substance, 
likewise fringed at the lower part. In shape this resembles a round 
dish cover, being quite close, except in the middle, where there is a 
hole just large enough to admit the head; and then, resting upon the 
shoulders; it cover the arms to the elbows, and the body as far as 
the waist. Their head is covered with a cap, of the figure of a trun- 
cated cone, or like a flower-pot, made of fine matting, having the 
top frequently ornamented with a round pointed knob, or bunch of 
leathern tassels, and there is a string that passes under the chin, to 
prevent its blowing off.” Elsewhere Cook wrote: “ We have some- 
times seen the whole process of their whale-fishery painted on the 
caps they wear.” Garments, similar to those just described, are repre- 
sented in the two drawings reproduced in plate 4 and plate 5. “ The 
flaxen garments,’ mentioned above, were made “of the bark of a 
pine-tree, beaten into a hempen state.” The account continues: “ It 
is not spun, but, after being properly prepared, is spread upon a stick, 
which is fastened across to two others that stand upright. It is dis- 
posed in such a manner, that the manufacturer, who sits on her hams 
at this simple machine, knots it across with small plaited threads, at 
the distance of half an inch from each other. Though, by this method, 
it is not so close or firm as cloth that is woven, the bunches between 
the knots make it sufficiently impervious to the air, by filling the 
interstices ; and it has the additional advantage of being softer and 
more pliable.” A frame of this sort is shown at the extreme right in 
plate 2. Similar garments were made of wool, which “seems to be 
taken from different animals, as the fox and brown lynx.” 

A curious custom prevailed among the men for on certain occasions, 
so wrote Cook, the face “is variously painted, having its upper and 
lower parts of different colors, the strokes appearing like fresh gashes ; 
or it is besmeared with a kind of tallow, mixed with paint, which is 
afterward formed into a great variety of regular figures, and appear 
like carved work.’”’ This is shown in plate 4. “ Sometimes, again, the 
hair is separated into small parcels, which are tied at intervals of about 
two inches, to the end, with thread.” 

The drawing reproduced as plate 1 is a beautiful example of the 
artist’s work—a man of Nootka, with the characteristic cap and 
wearing a heavy skin over his left shoulder, armed with bow and 


6 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VoL. 80 


arrows. The quiver, in which are resting several arrows, opened 
lengthwise, not at one end. This was not described in the narrative 
and thus tends to prove the value of Webber’s drawings, produced 
“ for the express purpose of supplying the unavoidable imperfections 
of written accounts.” The bands over the ankles conform with Cook's 
statement that “about their ankles they also frequently wear many 
folds of leather thongs, or the sinews of animals twisted to a con- 
siderable thickness.” 

The food of the people living on the shores of Nootka Sound con- 
sisted, as Cook then wrote, “ of every thing animal or vegetable that 
they can procure.” But “their greatest reliance seems to be upon the 
sea, as affording fish, muscles, and smaller shell-fish, and sea animals.” 
The smaller fish were not only eaten fresh, when taken from the 
water, but were also smoked and dried, thus preserved for future use, 
and ‘‘ sewed up in mats, so as to form large bales, three or four feet 
square.” Broth was made by placing pieces of fresh meat “ in a square 
wooden vessel or bucket, with water, and then throwing heated stones 
into it. This operation they repeat till they think the contents are 
sufficiently stewed or seethed. They put in the fresh, and take out the 
other stones, with-a cleft stick, which serves as tongs ; the vessel being 
always placed near the fire for that purpose. This operation is repre- 
sented by Mr. Webber, in his drawing of the inside of a Nootka 
house.” This refers to the group shown surrounding a fire, in plate 3. 


SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOE= 80; NO; 10; PE 


Size 17 by 12 inches Signed J. Webber, del. 
Nootka 


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SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 80, NOI W0) Piet 


Size 17 by 12 inches 


Nootka 


SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 80,5, NO: 107 PE. 75 


Size 15 by 12 inches 


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NO. FO DRAWINGS BY JOHN WEBBER—BUSHNELL 


I 


PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND. -MAY, 1778 


Continuing along the coast the expedition arrived at another inlet 
to which the name Prince William Sound was given. Here were 
encountered the first Eskimo to be met when coming from the south- 
ward, and they were easily recognized as differing in appearance from 
the people of Nootka Sound. 

Evidently the habitations were away from the shores of the sound, 
or possibly in some protected cove, as none was seen and consequently 
no description of a native settlement was given in the narrative, But 
many of the people visited the two ships, coming in boats of their 
own make, some of which held more than twenty persons each. 

Men, women, and children were dressed alike. All wore “a kind 
of close frock, or rather robe ; reaching generally to the ankles, though 
sometimes only to the knees. At the upper part is a hole just sufficient 
to admit the head, with sleeves that reach to the wrist. These frocks 
are made of the skins of different animals. ... . When it rains they 
put over this another frock, ingeniously made from the intestines of 
whales, or some other large animal, prepared so skilfully, as almost to 
resemble our gold-beaters’ leaf. It is made to draw tight round the 
neck ; its sleeves reach as low as the wrist, round which they are tied 
Pecieaestitic. . .. Those who wear any thing on their heads, re- 
sembled, in this respect, our friends at Nootka ; having high truncated 
conic caps, made of straw, and sometimes of wood, resembling a seal’s 
head well painted.”’ One of the sketches by Webber, made at that time, 
shows a man wearing a waterproof garment, such as was mentioned, 
and also a characteristic hat with figures painted in red and black. The 
second drawing is that of a man wearing a fur garment, “ worn with 
the hairy side outward,” and ornamented with a fringe which appears 
to have been formed of many small tails. 

To quote again from Captain Cook’s narrative: “ The men fre- 
quently paint their faces of a bright red, and of a black colour, and 
sometimes of a blue, or leaden colour ; but not in any regular figures ; 
and the women, in some measure, endeavoured to imitate them, by 
puncturing or staining the chin with black, that comes to a point in 
each cheek.” Men wore their hair short, “cropt round the neck and 
forehead,’ but the women allowed theirs to grow long. Both men 
and women perforated their ears in several places, “in which they 
hang little bunches of beads, made of the same tubulose shelly sub- 


8 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VoL. 80 


stance used for this purpose by those of Nootka. The septum of the 
nose is also perforated, through which they frequently thrust the 
quill-feathers of small birds, or little bending ornaments, made of the 
above shelly substance, strung on a stiff string or cord, three or four 
inches long, which give them a truly grotesque appearance. But the 
most uncommon and unsightly ornamental fashion, adopted by some 
of both sexes, is their having the under-lip slit, or cut, quite through, 
in the direction of the mouth, a little below the swelling part... . . 
In this artificial mouth they stick a flat, narrow ornament, made chiefly 
out of a solid shell or bone, cut into little narrow pieces, like small 
teeth, almost down to the base or thickest part, which has a small 
projecting bit at each end that supports it when put into the divided 
lip; the cut part then appearing outward. Others have the lower lip 
only perforated into separate holes; and then the ornament consists 
of as many distinct shelly studs, whose points are pushed through 
these holes, and their heads appear within the lip, as another row of 
teeth immediately under their own.” These curious ornaments are 
clearly shown in the two sketches by Webber. 


VO 80; NOs Ose G 


SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS 


inches 


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Size 15 


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SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 80, NO, 10; RE 


Size 17 by 12 inches 


Prince William Sound 


NO. IO DRAWINGS BY JOHN WEBBER—BUSHNELL 1) 


Minit Y CAPE AUGUST, 1778 


By the middle of August, 1778, the two ships were in the far 
northern waters, beyond Bering Strait in the Arctic. At noon on the 
18th they were in latitude 70° 44’. To quote from the narrative: 
“ We were, at this time, close to the edge of the ice, which was as 
compact as a wall; and seemed to be ten or twelve feet high at least. 
But, farther North, it appeared much higher. Its surface was ex- 
tremely rugged; and, here and there, we saw pools of water. 

“We now stood to the Southward ; and, after running six leagues, 
shoaled the water to seven fathoms; but it soon deepened to nine 
fathoms. At this time, the weather, which had been hazy, clearing up 
a little, we saw land extending from the South to South East by 
Fast, about three or four miles distant. The Eastern extreme forms a 
point, which was much incumbered with ice; for which reason it ob- 
tained the name /cy Cape. Its latitude is 70° 29’, and its longitude 
198° 20’. The other extreme of the land was lost in the horizon; so 
that there can be no doubt of its being a continuation of the American 
continent. The Discovery being about a mile astern, and to leeward, 
found less water than we did; and tacking on that account, I was 
obliged to tack also, to prevent separation. 

‘Our situation was now more and more critical. We were in shoal 
water, upon a lee shore; and the main body of the ice to the windward, 
driving down upon us. It was evident, that, if we remained much 
longer between it and the land, it would force us ashore; unless it 
should happen to take the ground before us.” This was the scene 
sketched by Webber, the Resolution leading with the Discovery 
“about a mile astern.” 

The following day, August 19, the ships were in the midst of much 
drift ice, with great masses just beyond. “ It was not so compact as 
that which we had seen to the Northward; but it was too close, and 
in too large pieces, to attempt forcing the ships through it. On the 
ice lay a prodigious number of sea-horses ; and, as we were in want 
of fresh provisions, the boats from each ship were sent to get some.” 
A small group of “‘ sea-horses ” may be seen on the ice to the right 
in the drawing. 

The ships were turning southward, to avoid the ice and to seek 
other lands. On September 2, they passed Eastern Cape and con- 
tinuing down the coast of Asia arrived in the Bay of St. Lawrence. 


10 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 80 


Thence they “ steered over for the American coast ; and, at five in the 
afternoon, the next day, saw land bearing South three quarters East, 
which we took to be Anderson’s Island, or some other land near it. 
.... On the 6th, at four in the morning, we got sight of the Ameri- 
can coast near Sledge Island; and at six, the same evening, this island 
bore North, 6° East, ten leagues distant ; and the Easternmost land in 
sight North, 49° East. If any part of what I had supposed to be 
American coast, could possibly be the island of Alaschka, it was that 
now. before-usi: 57" 

The expedition soon reached Norton Sound. Here they remained 
several days and had intercourse with the friendly natives from whom 
they secured a quantity of fish, both fresh and dried. “ The dwellings 
of these people were seated close to the beach. They consist simply 
of a sloping roof, without any side-walls, composed of logs, and 
covered with grass and earth. The floor is also laid with logs; the 
entrance is at one end; the fire-place just within; and a small hole is 
made near the door to let out the smoke.” 

Sailing from Norton Sound, “on the 17th in the morning, with a 
light breeze at East,” they sighted many islands, encountered shoal 
water, and after an uneventful voyage ‘‘ at length, on the 2d of Octo- 
ber, at day-break, we saw the island of Oonalashka, bearing South 
Bast.” 


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NOLO DRAWINGS BY JOHN WEBBER—BUSH NELL II 


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The ships touched at Oonalashka on the voyage northward, and 
just three months later again came in sight of the island. This was 
October second when they reached a bay some ten miles west of 
Samganoodha, “ known by the name of Egoochshac.” Many natives 
lived on the shore of the bay, they visited the ships “ bringing with 
them dried salmon, and other fish, which they exchanged with the 
seamen for tobacco.” The following day, October 3, the ships con- 
tinued on to Samganoodha Harbor where they remained until the 26th 
of the same month. There was a small village a short distance from 
the harbor where, it is quite probable, Webber made his drawings. 

Describing the people of Oonalashka, Captain Cook wrote: “ These 
people are rather low of stature, but plump and well shaped; with 
rather short necks; swarthy chubby faces; black eyes; small beards; 
and long, straight, black hair; which the men wear loose behind, and 
cut before, but the women tie up in a bunch.” And referring to the 
dress: “ Both sexes wear the same in fashion; the only difference is 
in the materials. The women’s frock is made of seal skin; and that 
of the men, of the skins of birds ; both reaching below the knee. This 
is the whole dress of the women. But, over the frock, the men wear 
another made of gut, which resists water ; and has a hood to it, which 
draws over the head. Some of them wear boots; and all of them have 
a kind of oval snouted cap, made of wood, with a rim to admit the 
head. These caps are dyed with green and other colours; and round 
the upper part of the rim, are stuck the long bristles of some sea- 
animal, on which are strung glass beads, and on the front is a small 
image or two made of bone. They make use of no paint; but the 
women puncture their faces slightly ; and both men and women bore 
the under lip, to which they fix pieces of bone. But it is as uncommon, 
at Oonalashka, to see a man with this ornament, as to see a woman 
without it. Some fix beads to the upper lip, under the nostrils; and 
all of them hang ornaments in their ears.” Many of the peculiar 
details of dress, mentioned in this brief description, are shown in 
Webber’s graphic sketches. 

The habitations of the natives evidently proved of much interest. 
“ Their method of building,” so wrote Cook, “is as follows: They 
dig, in the ground, an oblong square pit, the length of which seldom 
exceeds fifty feet, and the breadth twenty, but in general the dimen- 


I2 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VoL. 80 


sions are smaller. Over this excavation they form a roof of wood 
which the sea throws ashore. The roof is covered first with grass, and 
then with earth; so that the outward appearance is like a dunghill. 
In the middle of the roof, toward each end, is left a square opening, 
by which the light is admitted; one of these openings being for this 
purpose only, and the other being also used to go in and out by, with 
the help of a ladder, or rather a post, with steps cut in it. In some 
houses there is another entrance below; but this is not common. 
Round the sides and ends of the huts, the families (for several are 
lodged together) have their separate apartments, where they sleep, and 
sit at work; not upon benches, but in a kind of concave trench, which 
is dug all round the inside of the house, and covered with mats; so 
that this part is kept tolerably decent. But the middle of the house, 
which is common to all the families, is far otherwise.” 

Although the majority of their bowls, spoons, baskets and other 
objects of daily use were of their own make, bits of metal and iron 
kettles and pots were obtained from the Russians with whom they had 
been in contact some years. The women made “ mats and baskets of 
grass, that are both beautiful and strong.” 

Fire was produced in two ways, “ by collision and by attrition ; the 
former by striking two stones one against another ; on one of which 
a good deal of brimstone is first rubbed. The latter method is with 
two pieces of wood; one of which is a stick of about eighteen inches 
in length, and the other a flat piece. The pointed end of the stick 
they press upon the other, whirling it nimbly round as a drill; thus 
producing fire in a few minutes.” But although fire was so easily 
obtained, fire places were not seen “in any one of their houses. They 
are lighted, as well as heated, by lamps; which are simple, and yet 
answer the purpose very well. They are made of a flat stone, hollowed 
on one side like a plate, and about the same size, or rather larger. In 
the hollow part they put the oil, mixed with a little dry grass, which 
serves the purpose of a wick. Both men and women frequently warm 
their bodies over one of these lamps, by placing it between their legs, 
under their garments, and sitting thus over it for a few minutes.” 

The boats, many of which are shown in plate 10, were described 
as “‘the smallest we had anywhere seen upon the American coast : 
though built after the same manner, with some little difference in 
the construction.” 


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Lh “Id “OL “ON ‘O8“10A SNOILOAIIOON SNOANVIIAOSIN NVINOSHLIWS 


SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS 


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regen 


Size 17 by 12 inches 


Oonalashka 


VOL. 80; .NOI 10; sri 


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